The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-07-27


were as Indifferent to the sight of death
and wounds as the oldest veterans.
"When at last we arrived on the
field we were held in reserve until
afternoon. The frequent booming of
cannon west of us told their own story,
and an occasional shell which missed
Cemetery Ridge would come bowling
toward us and bury itself in the ground
or burst in midair. But in the after
noon there rose away off in the south
west great rattle and war of muskets,
mingled with the increasingly frequent
booming of cannon. This was the
struggle near the peach orchard
wheat-feld' and round tops A
long, low cloud of smoke rose above
the trees in that direction, and borne to
us on the sultry, smoke-laden air there
was significant and, to us, new
and peculiar sound-a prolonged, fierce,
wavering yell, gaining in strength,
rising higher and higher, until it finally
died away in fiendish scream. What
is that?' inquired of veteran. oh,
that's the rebel YELL he answered.
They are charging now. Listen!
ave listened and the sound of mus
kerry broke out thicker and louder; the
roar of artillery increased, but after a
few moments the firing lessened and
there came to us another sound-three
long. ringing cheers. That's our
boys said my friend; the rebs failed
that time Often, as the afternoon
wore away, was this experience re-
peated, and as often were the yells and
cheers of the contending forces borne
to our listening ears as the tide of bat
tie swayed back and forth. But there
came a time Just at night when the
rebel veil was no longer answered
by the Union cheers 1t was evil
dent our line was being driven back.
Suddenly we were ordered to march
with our regiment in great haste to the
scene of action, we musicians having
been detailed as stretcher-bearers
"Orders kept coming across the line
to forward faster-,tdSter, until at last
we were in the very battle itself. Some
young reader asks how battle looks.
| recall road and fields with fences
torn down and scattered; trees cut and
marred by bullets and shells, broken
branches hanging down; wounded men
walking and limping toward the rear,
some sitting and lying on the ground
dead men here and there; struggling
members of defeated and scattered
regiments wandering to the rear; q
broken gun-carriage; battery, where
! the moke-begrimed men were loading
and firing with furious energy across
an open field into piece of woods; q
mounted officer riding at full gallon
/ n 81, oil b,rot 1irootlv in front oI
him. His horse, suddenly rearing, hall
turned, but being hard spurred dashed
through the smoke and passed on.
There was the incessant roar of mus
kets, the crashing sound of cannon, &C
companied by the peculiar, bowling
roar of shells and the th-th- OF
bullets.
L" AT last there was halt and quick
forming of line of battle. AT the fur
Their side of the field, Just skirting the
woods, was long line of men in gray
firing continuously. Our own line
paused a moment in forming, then ;
cloud of blue smoke darted from theiI
front, and before the echo of this fresl
volley had died away they dashed for
ward with a cheer. The enemy, al
troops whom they were driving, gave
way completely and ran scatterin!
through the woods before this impetu
Gus charge CT fresh men. Then fol
lowed the stretcher- bearers, taking VI
the wounded and carrying them bacl
to the ambulances, which conveyed
them to the field hospitals. Nigh
dropped her mantle over the scene, bu
still they worked on, guided in thei
search by cries of pain and calls TO
help, until at last compelled by pitch,
darkness to cease from their labor the
lay down on their bloody stretchers an,
slept soundly until awakened at earl
dawn by the firing of cannon and tn
bursting of shells.
How can l describe the day tina
followed? During the forenoon of tn
Sd there was considerable fghtin!
along the line, which was some fiv
miles in length. The peculiar semi
circular form of our line gave the effec
of our being apparently surrounded b
fighting. There was firing in all di
rections. Then there was the ghastl
procession of wounded men stragglin
from the front-men with bloc
streaming down their faces and necks
men using muskets for crutches an
men with shattered arms from whic
blood was dripping. Barns, house
and shady yards contained long row
of wounded men waiting for the SUI
geons' attentions-some unconscious
some already dead, and many bearin
in silence their pain with a fortitud
greater than was needed to face danger
Going to our regiment in the il
: trenchments on the right of the line,
was struck by the cool, matter-of- fac
way in which they were loading an
firing, while the dead lay at frequer
, intervals, and not infrequently some {
our own number fell. And yet it wa
but twenty-four hours since they pale
at the sight of blood. What curiou
art had suddenly transformed ther
from timid youths to hardened vett
, rams? Nor was the change less notice
able in the field hospitals. Men an
boys who, but short time ago, coul
: hardly bear to see any serious injur,
now carried wounded men to the an
: putation table, removed the amputate
2 limbs which gradually accumulated i
2 a pile near by, and took part in all tn
, sickening details of a hospital-an
through it all with cool and easy wa,
as if il was q roun1 of dutipS thew ha